Mixed League

Brenda Lemon lives in Laurel and bowls in five -- that's right, five-- leagues each week.Monday, it's the Ball and Chain league in Woodlawn; Tuesday, a mixed league in Fort Meade; Wednesday, the Bendixmixed in Columbia; Thursday, in Columbia again with the Hi-Flyers; and, Saturday, it's back to Woodlawn for another mixed league.It was with the Hi-Flyers at Brunswick Columbia on March 12 that Brenda put together games of 201, 267 and 211 for a career-high series of 689. That 267 is her high game.

Outfield has traditionally offered the deepest reservoir of premium fantasy hitters. But no outfielder went in the top five of my first 2008 draft Monday night. Only two, Matt Holliday and Carl Crawford, went in the top 10. Only 11 went in the top 50. There are still more quality hitters in the outfield than at any other position, but the pool is weaker at the tippy-top than in most years. That could change in a hurry if Ryan Braun takes to his position switch and youngsters such as Justin Upton and Jay Bruce are as good as many expect.

This month Joe Robinson of Edgewater turns 16. Last weekend in the YABA City Tournament at Greenway Odenton, he gave himself an early birthday present.After bowling in two squads, three games each, Robinson started the last squad with a strike and kept on striking off the sheet for a 300."After the 300 I had a hard time concentrating," he said.The results were games of 159 and 176 for a 635 set.Robinson is averaging 185 in the Saturday morning YABA at Greenway Odenton; Sundays he bowls in the Arundel Travel league.

This month Joe Robinson of Edgewater turns 16. Last weekend in the YABA City Tournament at Greenway Odenton, he gave himself an early birthday present.After bowling in two squads, three games each, Robinson started the last squad with a strike and kept on striking off the sheet for a 300."After the 300 I had a hard time concentrating," he said.The results were games of 159 and 176 for a 635 set.Robinson is averaging 185 in the Saturday morning YABA at Greenway Odenton; Sundays he bowls in the Arundel Travel league.

If you are going to have to travel to Connecticut to bowl in a duckpin tournament, it would be nice to have someone hand you $300, wouldn't it?You bet.In John Estanich's case, he had to do a little work to get the $300; he had to team up with Steve Conners and win the 10th Annual Wayne Logue Memorial Doubles tournament at Mount Airy Lanes last weekend. No problem.Estanich threw games of 156, 147 and 185 for a 488 series; Conners had games of 139, 128 and 141 for a 408 set. Add 156 handicap pins, and the total of 1,052 did the trick: first place and a $600 first prize to share.

Carroll County native Tom Aldridge finally reached a bowling milestone -- after trying for a quarter-century.Aldridge rolled a 711 three-game set recently to go with his 173 average and 279 high game. That 711 is just 10 pins below the Thunderhead Westminster house record."I've been looking for a 700 series for 25 years," Aldridge said."That's about how long I've been bowling."Aldridge lives in Westminster with his wife, Elaine, and bowls in the Tuesday Mixed League (where he rolled his high series)

Karen and Basil Wisner operate Hampstead Bowling Center, a well-maintained family center where everyone is friendly and where a stranger doesn't remain a stranger very long.Their son, J. B., is a pretty fair tenpin bowler, but the Wisners never have had time to bowl. That has changed. This season the women in the Saturday morning league persuaded Karen to bowl."I haven't bowled since 1985," Karen said, "It was just like starting over."When Karen quit bowling seven years ago, she carried a 106 average.

There are a bunch of reasons to bowl. One of the most compelling is the simple fact that the enjoyment from bowling cuts across all levels of ability.Want proof? Look no further than the duckpin center of Riviera Bowl in Pasadena.Teresa Milligan carries an average of 106 in the Saturday Mixed ** league; Dave Schline is a 117 average bowler; and Donna Ratcliff is holding a 137 average."I started bowling about seven years ago," said Milligan, a Pasadena resident. "At that time, I averaged just 75!"

Outfield has traditionally offered the deepest reservoir of premium fantasy hitters. But no outfielder went in the top five of my first 2008 draft Monday night. Only two, Matt Holliday and Carl Crawford, went in the top 10. Only 11 went in the top 50. There are still more quality hitters in the outfield than at any other position, but the pool is weaker at the tippy-top than in most years. That could change in a hurry if Ryan Braun takes to his position switch and youngsters such as Justin Upton and Jay Bruce are as good as many expect.

Jeff Moody had one of those nights that tenpin bowlers dream about. Bowling in the Monday Mixed League on Oct. 5 at County Lanes, Westminster, he produced his first 300 game and his first 700 series and broke the house three-game series record.Moody, who lives in Westminster, carries an 188 average using a 16-pound Columbia U-Dot bowling ball. He is active in two leagues, the Monday Night Mixed League and the Wednesday Scratch League.Moody, who has bowled for about 20 years, had a solid first game (269)

Ben K. Han fired his career-high single game and three-game series on Oct. 9 in the Korean Express league at Fair Lanes Ritchie.Using a 15-pound Columbia bowling ball, Han put together games of 207, 298 and 267 for a 772 series."

Bruce Hollen won the Baltimore's Best bowling tournament and $1,000.During the six-week tournament, Hollen, a 199-average league bowler, averaged 222 while amassing a total pinfall of 6,672 over 30 games. He kept the pace, despite bowling at six bowling centers.Hollen beat out a field of 40 other tenpin bowlers going for the title of Baltimore's Best tenpin bowler.Tournament organizer Bill Mend said he'd hoped for more entries, but said, "It was a good start. Everybody seemed real enthused about it. We'll do it again next summer."

It's just about impossible to walk into a bowling center and not hear hot-shot tenpin bowlers moaning because there aren't enough big-money leagues for them.They would like to bowl for big money but they like to put up little money.Fact: when there's a chance to bowl for big money the scratch bowlers suddenly become very scarce. Hold a qualifier for a pro event, men or women, and some embarrassingly low figures become apparent.Just this summer an event was conducted for scratch bowlers who could compete, not just for a load of money, but for the prestige of being named Baltimore's Best.

There are a bunch of reasons to bowl. One of the most compelling is the simple fact that the enjoyment from bowling cuts across all levels of ability.Want proof? Look no further than the duckpin center of Riviera Bowl in Pasadena.Teresa Milligan carries an average of 106 in the Saturday Mixed ** league; Dave Schline is a 117 average bowler; and Donna Ratcliff is holding a 137 average."I started bowling about seven years ago," said Milligan, a Pasadena resident. "At that time, I averaged just 75!"

Karen and Basil Wisner operate Hampstead Bowling Center, a well-maintained family center where everyone is friendly and where a stranger doesn't remain a stranger very long.Their son, J. B., is a pretty fair tenpin bowler, but the Wisners never have had time to bowl. That has changed. This season the women in the Saturday morning league persuaded Karen to bowl."I haven't bowled since 1985," Karen said, "It was just like starting over."When Karen quit bowling seven years ago, she carried a 106 average.

Jeff Moody had one of those nights that tenpin bowlers dream about. Bowling in the Monday Mixed League on Oct. 5 at County Lanes, Westminster, he produced his first 300 game and his first 700 series and broke the house three-game series record.Moody, who lives in Westminster, carries an 188 average using a 16-pound Columbia U-Dot bowling ball. He is active in two leagues, the Monday Night Mixed League and the Wednesday Scratch League.Moody, who has bowled for about 20 years, had a solid first game (269)

Don Fox and Frank Ladanyi have close to 60 years of experience in the bowling business between them.After 35 years of commitment to the bowlers in Glen Burnie, Fox is stepping down as manager of the Greenway Bowl, which opened in October 1955.Ladanyi has taken over the reins of the Glen Burnie center, and he brings half a lifetime of experience with him.Fox and his wife,Ramona, have lived in Ferndale since 1940. Until knee and back injuries curtailed his bowling, Don carried a 135 average, with a high game of 216 and a high series of 547.Fox was more than just another guy managing a duckpin center; he was a bowler.

It's just about impossible to walk into a bowling center and not hear hot-shot tenpin bowlers moaning because there aren't enough big-money leagues for them.They would like to bowl for big money but they like to put up little money.Fact: when there's a chance to bowl for big money the scratch bowlers suddenly become very scarce. Hold a qualifier for a pro event, men or women, and some embarrassingly low figures become apparent.Just this summer an event was conducted for scratch bowlers who could compete, not just for a load of money, but for the prestige of being named Baltimore's Best.

If you are going to have to travel to Connecticut to bowl in a duckpin tournament, it would be nice to have someone hand you $300, wouldn't it?You bet.In John Estanich's case, he had to do a little work to get the $300; he had to team up with Steve Conners and win the 10th Annual Wayne Logue Memorial Doubles tournament at Mount Airy Lanes last weekend. No problem.Estanich threw games of 156, 147 and 185 for a 488 series; Conners had games of 139, 128 and 141 for a 408 set. Add 156 handicap pins, and the total of 1,052 did the trick: first place and a $600 first prize to share.

Brenda Lemon lives in Laurel and bowls in five -- that's right, five-- leagues each week.Monday, it's the Ball and Chain league in Woodlawn; Tuesday, a mixed league in Fort Meade; Wednesday, the Bendixmixed in Columbia; Thursday, in Columbia again with the Hi-Flyers; and, Saturday, it's back to Woodlawn for another mixed league.It was with the Hi-Flyers at Brunswick Columbia on March 12 that Brenda put together games of 201, 267 and 211 for a career-high series of 689. That 267 is her high game.